Collapsible container with interchangeable spouts



A. D. ROSS Nov. 24, 1964 COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER WITH INTERCHANGEABLE SPOUTS Filed June 30, 1961 ,illi Mfw United States Patent O 3,158,116 COLLAPSIBLE CGNIAlNER WITH INTER- CHANGEABLE SPOUIS Allan Day Ross, (brillia, Unitario, Canada Canadian Research and Development Foundation, 1434 Queen St. W., Toronto 3, Ontario, Canada) Filed .inne 30, 1%1, Ser. No. 121,175 2 Claims. (Cl.'107-52) This invention relates to improvements in the field of packaging, wherein throw-away, transparent, attractive and informative containers are utilized, and more particularly to improvements in containers or container dispensers.

lt is general practice to utilize throw-away containers for packaging food products and the like, in a large variety of shapes, sizes and materials, some of the more preferred materials being for instance, tinned steel, glass, processed paper, and plastics employed singly or in cornbination with above materials.

It will be noted that most of the containers conventionally supplied are used for packaging foods of a solid or semi-solid state. Many containers such as, for instance, paste tubes have the disadvantage that they have both ends open, one end for iilling, the other endfor dispensing contents thus requiring closure at both ends.

Another disadvantage is that a tool is often required for opening such containers.

Further disadvantage to some conventional forms of packaging, is that such containers are generally of a nature whereby they cannot be resealed, necessitating immediate use of the entire contents therein, to avoid spoilage and waste.

It is an object of this invention to provide a container suitable for packaging foods in the liquid or semi-liquid state, in the following called containen that may be filled and emptied from the same end.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a container, part of which is flexible and collapsible for dispensing contents thereof.

It is further an object of this invention to provide a container having a substantially rigid, resilient neck, with means for detachable attachment of accessories thereto.

It is further an object of this invention to provide a container having provisions for a variety of detachably attachable patterned dispensing tips.

It is still further an object of this invention to provide a contm'ner having provision for the detachable attachment of closure means.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a Vcontainer that does not require venting for volumetric replacement of the contents dispensed therefrom.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a container which may be opened without use of tools, and recapped until required again.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a container that may be made transparent, to display the contents therein without requiring opening thereof.

It is still another object of this invention to provide aV container which is flexible and entirely splinter-proof.

It is still further an object of this invention to provide a container which, in the initial stages of its manufacture, will permit at least a portion thereof to lie fiat, thereby facilitating the printing thereon and of, for instance, advertising matter or instructions.

It is still further an object of this invention to provide a container that will facilitate heating or freezing of the contents.

These and other objects and features of this invention will become apparent when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a mid-vertical, sectional, side elevation of a container showing one embodiment of this invention.

ICC

Patented Nov. 24., 1964 FIG. 2 is a mid-vertical, sectional, side elevation of a container showing another embodiment of this invention, illustrating an alternative method of attachment of the components.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation of a container embodying this invention, illustrating the appearance of the conv tainer 4in closed condition.

Referring to FIG. l, a container indicated generally by arrow 10 comprises a flexible and collapsible body 11, which is open at one end 11A only, having attached `thereto an annular substantially rigid sealing ring 12. A

dispensing spout 13 of ungular conguration and hollow therethrough, is adapted to be slidably received within wall 14 of sealing ring-12. Wall 14A of dispensing spout A13 is similar in contour to wall 14 and adapted to frictionally retain spout 13 within sealing ring 12 and, at the same time, is a sufiiciently close t to elfect a seal between walls 14 and 14a of ring 12 and spout 13 respectively.

A detachably attachable closure means 15 is provided, a protuberance 15A extending radially outwardly ofsealing ring 12, substantially at the open end thereof, is

adapted to frictionally engage in an annular groove 15B vlocated within closure means 15, adapted to detachably secure closure means 15 in place on container 10.

A convex protnberance 16' extending radially outwardly and substantially toward lower end 16A of dispensing spout 13, is adapted to frictionally engage in an annular groove 17 of'similarcontour formed in the bore of sealing ring 12, thereby frictionally locking dispensing spout .13 in itsv operating position. External wall 18, of dispensing spout 13, is supported by outwardly inclined inner wall 19 of sealing ring 12.

Serrations 25, of varying contour, are located around the outer periphery 25A of dispensing spout 13, to provide that semi-solid contents of flexible body 11 assume a decorative pattern upon being dispensed therethrough.

Referring to FIG. 2, another embodiment of this invention is shown, the illustrated container comprising a flexible body 3i), in the form of a bag having an open neck 3iA,\the wall thickness of body 30 at neck SiiA having a greatly enlarged cross section to provide a substantially rigid sealing ring 31. A dispensing spout 32,

being of substantially tubular configuration and hollow therethrough, is provided with an enlarged internal diameter 33 at one end 33A to facilitate ingrs of contents of container body 30 into spout 32.

Body 30 is again preferably formed of a comparatively thin plastic sheet material with neck 30a integral therewith, the latter again combining a certain amount of resilience with its rigidity.

An interchangeable decorating spout 35, of substantially frusto-conical configuration and hollow therethrough, is adapted to` be detachably attached to sealing ring 32, for instance, by screw means, spout 35 being serrated about its periphery 35A in a variety of contours,

vcausing theV contents of body 30 to be dispensed in a decorative manner therefrom.

Thev removal or attachment of spout 35 to the container l provides a simple means for changing the size or design of the column being dispensed whereby more decorative designs may be effected upon cakes or the like.

vdiameter of a cup shaped, detachably attachable closure means 45, thereby frictionally securing closure means 45 onto body 30. A diaphragm d6 may be fused to lower end 33A of dispensing spout 32 covering this to prevent any deteriorating eiectof air trapped Within spouts 32 and 3S and closure means 45 on contents ofthe container, this diaphragm being adapted tobe pierced or removed for dispensing of said contents.

Referring to FiG. 3, a container dispenser 10 embodying this invention is illustrated with closure means covering internal dispensing spout showing particularly near and clean appearange of a container of this type thereby enhancing its aesthetic value in the modern household.

'ln use, `the body of container 10 is illed with a semiliquid such as, for instance, prepared cake frosting'. Cap 15 and spout 13 are detached from sealing ring 12 for this operation, and it will be readily apparent that the action of sealing ring 12 inkholding open the mouth of the bag-like body 11 greatly facilitates the iling thereof.

Upon body 11 being filled, spout 13 is snapped into position on ring 12 and cap 15 assembled thereto. As shown in FIG, 2, a thin, rupturable diaphragm such as, for instance, plastic lilm or greaseproof paper'or the like may be installed over the innermost end of spout 13, covering the whole of the area of the lling Which would otherwise be exposed, thereby sealing it from the atmosphere until required for use.

Upon Wishing to use the contents of body 11, the diaphragm may either be removed completely by temporarily detaching spout 13, or caused `to rupture by the pressure under which the contents are placed by the squeezing of body 11. Cap 15 is, of course, removed and the shape of the frosting or the like emerging from body 11 is determined by the contours of serrations 25 of spout 13. Different designs can be made by changing spout 13 for others having variously shaped serrations V25, the apparaturs of FIG. Z'being adapted to enable this to be done quickly and easily by a simple screwing action.

The general design of the individual parts of the invention as explained above may be varied according to ring having a groove formed in the periphery ofthe innerVv wall thereof; a dispensing spout having an inner end and an outer end; said inner end having its outer wall in mating configuration With said inner Wall of said sealing ring including a peripheral protuberance engageable with said groove in said sealing ring to hold said sealing ring and said spout in sealed engagement; said outer end of said spout being serrated; a second spout means attachable to said outer end of said spout and in axial alignment therewith whereby the size or design of the column being dispensed may be readily changed; and a closure cap detachably attachable to said sealing ring.

2. A container as deiined in claim l including a diaphragm coextensive with said inner end of said dispensing spout.

References Cited inthe tile' of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,430,552 Hothersall Oct. 3, 1922 2,168,607 OBrien Aug. 8, 1939 2,660,132 Pyenson Nov. 24, 1953 2,690,852 Schuler Oct. 5 1954 2,763,402 Livingstone Sept. 18, 1956 2,834,520 Nyden May 13, 1958 2,957,609 Holmes Oct. 25, 1960 2,993,629 Ruhnke .luly 25, 1961 3,029,003 -Gronemeyer Apr. 10, 1962 

1. A CONTAINER INCLUDING A FLEXIBLE, COLLAPSIBLE BAGLIKE BODY MEMBER HAVING ONE OPEN END; A SUBSTANTIALLY RIGID, RESILIENT ANNULAR SEALING RING; SAID OPEN END BEING ATTACHED TO AND DEFINED BY SAID SEALING RING; SAID SEALING RING HAVING A GROOVE FORMED IN THE PERIPHERY OF THE INNER WALL THEREOF; A DISPENSING SPOUT HAVING AN INNER END AND AN OUTER END; SAID INNER END HAVING ITS OUTER WALL IN MATING CONFIGURATION WITH SAID INNER WALL OF SAID SEALING RING INCLUDING A PERIPHERAL PROTUBERANCE ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID GROOVE IN SAID SEALING RING TO HOLD SAID SEALING RING AND SAID SPOUT IN SEALED ENGAGEMENT; SAID OUTER END OF SAID SPOUT BEING SERRATED; A SECOND SPOUT MEANS ATTACHABLE TO SAID OUTER END OF SAID SPOUT AND IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT THEREWITH WHEREBY THE SIZE OR DESIGN OF THE COLUMN BEING DISPENSED MAY BE READILY CHANGED; AND A CLOSURE CAP DETACHABLY ATTACHABLE TO SAID SEALING RING. 